Inking device.



No. 769,499. PATENTED SEPT. 6 1904.

W. J. SHEBTZ.

INKING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5, 190a.

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Patented September 6, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM J. SHEETZ, OF IVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AS- SIGNOR TO FEDERAL MARKINC-MACHIN E COMPANY, OF \VASHING- TON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, A CORPORATION OF THE OF COLUMBIA.

DISTRICT INKING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,499, dated September 6, 1904. Application filed December 5, 1903. Serial No. 183,896. (No model.)

To (LU ZL'hO/Jb it may concern:

.Be it known that I, IVILLIAM J. SI-inETz, a citizen of the United States, residing at IVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in inking Devices; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates generally to inking devices for printing or marking machines, and particularly to inking mechanisms for mail-marking machines; and it has for its object to provide a simple, durable, and comparatively inexpensive device adapted to automatically and evenly supply the requisite quantity of ink to the die or type to uniformly produce the best result; and it consists in the parts and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanving drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved device, taken on the line 1 1, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the ink-well, showing the inking device in elevation.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout both the views.

Since this invention relates merely to the inking mechanism and is equally well adapted for application to any type of mail-marking machine in which the ink is supplied to the die or type by means of a roller 0r inkingwheel, it is not deemed necessary to illustrate or describe any of the parts of such machines other than those directly connected with the inking mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a portion of a table on which the parts of the machine are arranged and supported, and B an ink-well arranged below the table and secured in any desired manner to the under side thereof and, as shown, is formed integral with the table, which is formed with an elongated slot (.1, through which the ink-well may be iilled. At one side of the ink-well within the same is provided the lugs or perforated ears C, to which is hung on a hinge-pin D a swinging bracket E. This bracket is formed with the horizontal arms a v, the upper one, 0, of which is formed with an opening through which a tube or cylinder F extends down to the lower arm 0', on which it rests and is 1'0- tated. The arm 0 serves to hold the tube or cylinder upright, but does not prevent its free rotation. At the top the tube or cylinder is closed and a series of circumferential openings f are formed therein, while a series of similar openings f are formed at its lower end, the latter openings providing for the access of the ink to the-tube or cylinder and the former (openings f) for its escape therefrom.

IVithin the tube or cylinder a screw G is arranged, the shaft of which extends from end to end of the tube or cylinder and is preferably threaded, as at y, at one end to secure it rigidly in place by insertion in a tapped opening in the lower arm c of the bracket, although it may be rigidly secured in any other desired or suitable manner. The threads of the screw (I are of a size or diameter to fit closely, but in revolving contact within the tube or cylinder, and the latter completely incloses the screw. At the upper end of the tube or cylinder F a feed-roller H, of any preferred or suitable absorbent material, such as felt, is secured so as to cover the openings f therein.

I represents an inking roller or wheel, of any preferred material, suitably secured on a shaft K, which is stepped in a block L, arranged slidably in a frame M, secured to the under side of the table A, said block extending into an elongated slot 11 in the table and being adj ustably held by a screw (Z and yieldingly held by a spring 0, opposed to the screw (1, in order to hold the said inking-wheel I in contact with the roller H and themarking die or roller N, so that the frictional contact thus caused between the stamping or marking die and the inking-roller I will serve to impart a rotary motion to said roller I when the marking-die is operated and which the roller I will transmit to the feed-roller H, and thus impart a rotary movement to the tube or cylinder F. The roller H is held against the roller I by means of a coiled spring P, arranged on the hinge-pin D and having one end engaging the wall of the ink-well and the other the bracket, so as to press the bracket in a direction to hold the roller H in contact with the roller I. The arrangement described provides for constant contact between the rollers H and I as long as they are serviceable, since it provides for taking up any loss caused by wear. The rollers H and I and the die N are all arranged above the table, and the tube or cylinder extends through the slot at in said table.

In operation the marking-die is rotated by any suitable means and through its frictional contact with roller 0r inking-wheel I imparts a partial revolution to the latter, which in turn revolves the feed-rollers H, and thus imparts a rotary motion to the tube or cylinder F, and causes the ink which has entered the cylinder through the openings f to travel or be conveyed up to the openings in said tube, through which it escapes to the feed-roller H, which absorbs the same and feeds it to the inking-wheel.

I have found by experiment that printingink being of a heavy orviscous nature will cling to the interior of the tube or cylinder, and as the latter rotates it is scraped off by the rib or threads of the screw and gradually carried up the cylinder to the point of exit.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a printing or mail-marking machine, inking mechanism comprising an inking wheel or roller, an ink-well, a feeder for feeding the ink from the well to the inking wheel or roller, and means for keeping the feeder in contact with said inking Wheel or roller to deliver the ink thereto.

2. In a printing or mail-marking machine, inking mechanism comprising an ink-well, an inking-wheel, a tube or cylinder, a screwwithin said cylinder for delivering the ink from the well, and means for supplying the ink to the inking-wheel from said screw.

3. In a printing or mail-marking machine, inking mechanism comprising an inkingwheel, an ink-well, a movable ink tube or cylinder through which the ink is delivered from the ink-well to the ink-wheel, and a screw in said tube or cylinder for conveying the ink.

4. In a printing or mail-marking machine, inking mechanism comprising an ink-well, a tube or cylinder having openings formed therein at each end suspended in said ink-well, a screw arranged within said tube or cylinder, a roller secured to said tube or cylinder, an inking-roller, and means for rotating said tube or cylinder.

5. In a printing or mail-marking machine, inking mechanism comprising an inkingwheel, an ink-well, a tube or cylinder suspended in said ink-well and receiving ink therefrom, a screw arranged in said tube or cylinder, a feed-roller for receiving the ink from said tube or cylinder and delivering it to the inking-wheel, and-means for maintaining a yielding contact between the inking-wheel and the feed-roller.

6. In a printing or mail-marking machine, an inking mechanism comprising an inkingwheel, an ink-well, a tube or cylinder entering said ink-well, a screw arranged in said tube or cylinder, a feed-roller, and means for revolving said tube or cylinder.

7. In a printing or mail-marking machine, an inking mechanism comprising an inkingwheel, an ink-we'll, a tube or cylinder projecting into the ink-well and arranged for lateral movement therein, a screw arranged in said tube or cylinder, a feed-roller, means for bolding the inking-wheel and feed-roller in frictional contact, and means for revolving said inking-wheel.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM J. SHEETZ.

Witnesses:

HUGH M. STERLING, DANL. F. HALL. 

